USA25 June, 20262 min read
Amy Steadman Suspected In Intentional Poisoning Deaths Of Daughter And Four Grandchildren In Mechanicville
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Six family members found dead in Mechanicville apartment, including grandmother, mother, and four children. Police say Amy Steadman, the grandmother, is suspected in the deaths.
Mechanicville family found dead
Police in Mechanicville, New York said a 64-year-old woman, Amy Steadman, was suspected in the deaths of her daughter and four grandchildren after officers found six deceased individuals in an apartment on Tuesday. Mechanicville Police Department Chief William Rabbitt said the bodies of Amy Steadman and her daughter, Sarah Myers, 44, were discovered Tuesday evening after a neighbor requested a welfare check because they had not seen Steadman for some time.
Rabbitt said Myers’ four children—Harper Harmon, 13; Hudson Harmon, 11; and Gavin and Gracelynn Harmon, both 10—were also found in the apartment, and that the causes and manners of death for all six people are pending further testing. Investigators recovered evidence inside the apartment that indicates intentional poisoning, including “numerous prescription and over-the-counter medications,” and Rabbitt said a handwritten note “strongly suggests that Amy Steadman was involved in the deaths.”
Poisoning evidence and note
Rabbitt told reporters that investigators recovered evidence “to indicate intentional poisoning,” including “numerous prescription and over-the-counter medications,” and he said one of the children suffered fatal sharp-force injuries. ABC News reported Rabbitt said the evidence so far indicates Steadman may have been involved, while he also said there was no evidence that an outside individual was involved and that toxicology tests are still ongoing.
WCAX said police were called to the home of Amy Steadman on Harris Avenue for a welfare check on Tuesday after neighbors said they hadn’t heard from the family for several days, and it quoted Rabbitt saying, “Mechanicville is a close-knit city.” WCAX also reported Rabbitt said police reaffirmed they believe there is no threat to the public, even as the causes of death remain under investigation.
Autopsies, toxicology, and Utah
NBC News said the children’s father lives in Utah and that the children were homeschooled and were not enrolled in public school, while Rabbitt said the victims were identified after autopsies were conducted on Wednesday. Rabbitt told reporters that final determination regarding responsibility will be made only after all investigative findings, toxicology results, and medical examiner reviews have been completed.
Spectrum News reported police said the family of six found dead in a Mechanicville apartment may have been intentionally poisoned, and it said a handwritten note found at the scene indicates Steadman may be responsible. In a separate account, NewsNation said police would not comment further on what medications were found or on any specifics within the handwritten note, and it reported that autopsy reports aren’t yet conclusive while investigators await toxicology and other reports.